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Description:

Grants to Michigan nonprofit, educational, and governmental organizations to promote awareness of environmental ecology in the Great Lakes region. Programs should encourage citizens to become engaged in environmental stewardship, and promote sustainable fishery practices.

This goal is being achieved primarily through the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (GLSI). The initiative supports a proven method of community-based learning in K–12 classrooms across Michigan. In these places, the local environment provides the context for education: students learn academic content while studying issues or problems of local importance. This approach builds students’ enthusiasm for learning and results in higher academic achievement.

The key intended outcomes for stewardship grants are to:

- Build awareness of, and commitment to, the Great Lakes as a unique, irreplaceable, and vulnerable resource
- Cultivate awareness of, commitment to, and advocacy for strategies that support long-term sustainability of the Great Lakes fisheries

The following principles define the values and expectations that govern the GLFT’s investment in the other Great Lakes stewardship efforts.

Stewardship involves both knowledge and action. The GLFT supports efforts that incorporate both of these elements.

Direct experiences with natural resources can be powerful motivators to action. The GLFT places priority on efforts that incorporate outdoor experiences, particularly those that engage people or groups that have historically lacked access to such experiences.

Efforts focusing on youth (K–12 students) must be cognizant of, and aligned to, Michigan’s educational reform priorities, even if not seated in the formal education system. These priorities emphasize student achievement, content mastery, school-community connections, and teacher professional development.

Stewardship efforts must incorporate evaluation, communications, and a sustainability plan. Additionally, efforts in a region served by a GLSI hub must establish an appropriate connection to the hub.

Stewardship efforts should reflect and serve the goal of building partnership and collaboration in the Great Lakes region.

Eligibility:

Additional Eligibility Criteria:

Organizations that are eligible to apply for GLFT grants include nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS (or a nongovernmental organization that holds charitable status in their country), as well as educational and governmental (including tribal) organizations.

The GLFT will not provide funding for the following:
- Development of new or modification of existing Great Lakes curricula, unless a strong case can be made for the need for said curricula. In making such a case, applicants must reference studies in the subject of choice.

Pre-Application Information:

Applications are due by January 4, 2019, at 5:00 PM EST.

Applications must be submitted through the GLFT website. The Web-based application system will prompt you with the mandatory questions and instructions to guide you through the application process.

Funding decisions will be made by the GLFT’s board of trustees in February 2019; all applicants will be notified of the board’s decision regarding their proposals by the end of February.